Method, system, and apparatus for log-pile fire prevention



Nov. 20 1923.

B. R. T. CQLLINS METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR LCG FILE FIRE PREVENTION 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed Feb' 25 1921 [nveniowa- BeriraiuUZZ' tbllins-Q Nov. 20,1923. k 1,415,052 B. R. T. COLLINS METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR LOG PILE FIRE PREVENEI'ION Filed Feb. 25, 1921 2 Sheets-She et 2- I l A A ll l A O A I l 4 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTRAND R. T. COLLINS, OF NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SPRAY ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS,

METHOD,-SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR LOG-FILE FIRE PREVENTION.

Application filed February 25,- 1921. Serial No. 447,718.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BE'RTRAND R. T. C01.- LINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton Center, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Methods, Systems, and Apparatus for Log-Pile Fire Prevention, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings rep-resenting like part-s.

This invention relates to method, system and apparatus for log-pile fire-prevention. In order that the principle of my invention may be readily understood, I have in the accompanying drawings set forth one type of system or apparatus embodying my invention and whereby the method of my invention may be most effectively practised.

Fig. 1 is a view in transverse section of a log pile having one form or type of my system or apparatus applied thereto for the practice of my method;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan View of a log pile showing the application of my invention thereto;

Fig. 3 is a. vertical section of a form or type of nozzle preferably used in the practice of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the swivel connection between the main pipe line and the branch lines;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a log pile such as is shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of another form of my invention; and

Fig. 7 is a detail View of a type of strainer preferably used in connection with my invention.

In certain of the Northern and far Western States and in California great piles of logs or of so-called pulp wood are formed or accumulated. These piles frequently standfor months and become in time very dry and very liable to ignition from various sources, such as sparks from passing locomotives.

A large log pile fire presents an exceptionally diflicult problem, since many times as much quick burning fuel exists in a concentrated mass as is found in any form of building in which fires are commonly fought. The absence of walls and the exposed position and height of the log pile I cause ideal draft conditions, so that the rate of combustion is ultimately limited only by the velocity at which air for combustion can be supplied to the fire and the products of combustion can be carried away. This velocity increases with the decrease in gas density caused by the rising temperature of the fire.

Very few large log-pile fires have been extinguished by hose streams before the fuel has been practically exhausted. This is due to the amount of heat set free from the enormous velocity of combustion. A fire in a log pile of from five to ten thousand cords has in nearly every case continued two days or more, whatever was the water supply available. Tofight such a fire with any chance of success not only must there be available an exceptionally large amount of water per minute, but the supply must have such capacity that it can be maintained at a maximum draft for several days. In case of several large piles in which a fire in one exposes the others, a continuous supply of from three thousand to five thousand gallons per minute for a week may be required to take care of sparks as well as the dryingaction of the heat in order to prevent the fire from spreading from pile to pile. It has been estimated that at least twenty thousand to thirty thousand gallons of water per minute would be required to extinguish a large log-pile fire when well under way. Obviously such supplies of water are nowhere available. In View of the enormous difficulty involved in extinguishing a log-pile fire and in view of the great value of such wood, it is evident that a system or apparatus that will prevent log piles from burning is of great importance.

In accordance with my invention I provide a system of piping, the pipes being preferably metallic and preferably communicating with the source of water supply in such manner that the water may be dis charged through nozzles attached to the pipes at proper distances apart.

The log piles are often of great dimensions and customarily they are formed by the use of a conveyor which is arranged at one end of the pile at an upward inclination, so that the logs of short or long lengths, as the case may be, are carried upward and discharged from the conveyor so as gradually to form a more or less elongated pile. Obviously these piles vary in size and in shape.

In Fig. 2, I have indicated a log pile that may be supposed to be built or accumulated beginning at l at the lower end of the sheet. Any suitable type of conveyor may be employed, such, for example, as that indicated at 2 in Fig. 1. Such a conveyor extends preferably straight but upwardly at a suitable incline and then horizontally, and at suitable points branch conveyors are or may be provided, so as not only to form the main part of the pile which extends from 1 to 3, viewing Fig. 2, but also radiating or diverging portions of the pile, such as indicated at 4, 5, 6 and 7 viewing Fig. 2. It is unnecessary to disclose in detail the conveyors including the main conveyor and the branch conveyors, because these may be of any suitable type. In accordance with my invention, I provide what I may term an expansible unit system of piping which follows or in substance conforms to the contour of the pile, and if the pile be one formed of short lengths of pulp wood, so that the sides of the pile are inclined, then the pipes of my system may and preferably will partake of the general form of a skeleton tent, such as indicated in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 5, as well as in Fig. 1 in section. If, on the other hand, the piles are formed of relatively long logs, then the pipes may be arranged in accordance with what I may term the tree system, wherein there is the main trunk line and branch pipes arranged at substantially right angles, but positioned substantially horizontally instead of at a downward incline, as is the case in the so-called tent system.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the water may be supposed to be introduced into the pipe system at the point 8 in Fig. 2 in, any suitable way. For example, a pump may be employed to deliver the water, the pump being, for example, a centrifugal pump, a direct acting steam pump, a triplex or a rotary pump, or if desired static means may be provided for furnishing the necessary water pressure, such, for example, as an elevated tank. Desirably the water supply should be such that a very high pressure is provided at each of the nozzles, and for example, a pressure of substantially seventy pounds per square inch. I employ such a high pressure because in accordance with my invention, I provide at each of the nozzles what may be termed a fo that is, a dischargeof the water in a very finely comminuted condition, so that the logs may be kept moistened by a thin film, layer or coating of the water and so as to extinguish promptly any spark that may fall upon them.

The main pipe line is indicated at 9 in Fig. 2, and preferably is supported at the upper face or by some suitable part of the conveyor 2. It may, however, be suspended below the same and spaced therefrom. In any case it is desirably upwardly inclined and then extends in a general horizontal direction, and at the end 10 may extend downwardly at a suitable incline, if the pile be of such shape. Desirably the main pipe line 9 is provided with a number of swivel joints or connections indicated at 10 in Fig. 4, so that the main pipe line may conform to the shape of the pile of logs. Said swivel joints or connections 10, shown in Fig. 4 as threaded, are metallic, and are tapped into the pipe connections so as to provide a wholly metallic structure which may be exposed for long periods without impairment.

In communication with and extending from the main pipe line 9 are a number of branch pipes 11 which, as indicated in Fig. 1, are arranged in general parallelism with each other and are arranged at an inclination so as to lay against and be supported by the inclined sides of the pile of logs. Preferably the said branch pipes 11 are connected to the main supply pipe 10 by swivel joints, so as to render the whole system flexible and to permit the piping to conform to the contour of the log pile.

It will be observed, viewing Figs. 1 and 2, that the main pipe 9 with the branch pipes 11 form in effect what may be termed a skeleton tent, the pipe 9 forming the backbone or ridgepole thereof and the downwardly inclined pipes 11 representing the side walls of the tent.

Viewing Fig. 2, it will be observed that for each of the branching portions of the pile 4, 5, 6 and 7, I have provided pipe branches communicating with the main pipe line 4. For example, the branch portion 4 of the pile is provided with a main pipe 12, which is connected at 13 to the subsidiary main pipe line 9 at a suitable point. Similarly, the part 5 of the pile is provided with a subsidiary main pipe line 14 connected at 15 with the main pipe line 9. The part 6 of the main pile is provided with a subsidiary main pipe line 16 connected at 17 to the pipe line 9 and the part 7 of the pile is provided with a subsidiary main line 18 connected at 19 to the line 4. All the connections may be and preferably are made by swivel joints, so as to permit the various lines to conform to the contour of the pile. Each of the said pipe lines 12, 14, 16, 18 is provided with branch pipe lines 11 of the character already described.

Not only are the various pipe lines connected by swivel joints, so that the whole system is very flexible, but the various pipe lines are detachable from each other. Particularly is this true of the main branch lines 12, 14, 16, 18. I preferably provide this construction, because when it becomes necessary to work upon any part of the log pile and to remove that part of the pile for transportation, the corresponding part of my system or apparatus is first removed.

In Fig. 3, I have indicated the preferred form of nozzle employed, it being one having a casing or outer member 20 provided with an inner core 21, itself having an axial passage 22, and one or more surrounding or spiral passages 23. In advance of the core 21, there is provided a mixing chamber 24, within which the water entering through the axial and surrounding passages becomes thoroughly mixed, so that it is discharged in a spray of conical form that is of substantially uniform homogeneity in cross section. While any suitable type of nozzle may be employed, the best results are secured by one which creates a spray of the character inclicated, since the main objects of my invention are achieved by keeping the entire mass of logs thinly coated with a film like covering of water. In this way, the entire mass of logs is protected as would not be the case were the nozzle of a character to discharge a solid stream over a limited area while leaving areas intervening between adjacent nozzles dry. By employing a nozzle of the general type indicated and by supplying water at high pressure, the discharge from each nozzle is spread over a wide area, thus reducing to a minimum the number of nozzles employed while covering substantially the entire surface of the log pile with a film or thin coating of water.

Viewing Fig. 1, it will be noted that the nozzles at or near the base of the pile are elevated a greater distance above the pipe line than the nozzles that are located higher up the pile. the height of the nozzles above the pipe line decreasing toward the top of the pile. This is clearly indicated by the nozzles a, b, c and d in Fig. 1. The reason for this is that I have discovered that at the base or lower part of the log pile, there is less movement of the air currents with an increasing movement as the top of the pile is approached. Therefore, the best results are obtained by elevating the nozzles to a greater extent at the base than further up the pile, so that the water from each nozzle at the lower part of the pile is spread to a greater extent by what air is circulating, there being a correspondingly less necessity for such elevation as the heights are reached where the air currents are normally greater.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 5, I have indicated the so-called skeleton tent arrangement of the nozzles. In Fig. 6, I have indicated the so-called tree arrangement, wherein is indicated at 24 the main pipe line, laterally extending from which at desirably right angles are the branches 25, 25 having the nozzles 26 arranged at proper intervals and of the character hereinbefore indicated. Desirably the said lateral branch lines 25 lie substantially horizontal upon the top of the long logs, but the entire tree system is provided with swiveled joints of the general character indicated in Fig. 4 or of other suitable type, so as to permit the entire pipe system to conform to irregularities in the contour of the log pile.

Desirably in connection with both general arrangements of pipe systems, I provide a strainer for the water entering the system. Such a strainer is indicated generally at 27 in Figs. 2, 6 and 7. It may be of any suitable type.

Referring to Fig. 7, I have indicated the water as entering the strainer through a pipe 28, it being compelled to pass intothe depending strainer tube 29 from which it issues, and then passes into the pipe 30 which may be regarded as the initial part of the main pipe lines referred to by the character 9 in Fig. 2 and by the character 24 in Fig. 6.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that by my method, the log piles are kept constantly moistened substantially throughout their entire exposed surface, so that the danger of fire is substantially wholly eliminated and great waste is prevented.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and de scriptive sense and not-for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims- 1. That method of preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form above the level of the ground comprising the following steps: conveying water under confinement along a. series of spaced paths distributed over the surface of the log pile or like mass. readily conforming said paths over the surface of the pile or mass to the general contour of the log pile and discharging the water in a fo -lik omminuted condition upwar y r1 said paths af r-points relatively closely spaced and so relating the points of discharge to each other along said paths that substantially the entire surface of the log pile is coated with a film or thin layer of water.

2. That method of preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form above the level of the ground comprising the following steps: conveying water under high pressure and under confinement along a series of spaced paths distributed over the surface of the log pile or like mass, readily conforming said paths over the surface of the pile or mass to the general contour of the log pile and discharging the water upwardly in a series of jets of substantially uniform homogeneity in cross section and in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition from said paths, at points relatively closely spaced and so relating said points of discharge to each other along said paths that substantially the entire surface of the log pile is coated with a film or thin layer of water.

3. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a series of water pipe lines adapted to be connected to a suitable source of water supply, said pipe lines being adapted to lie upon the surface of the log piles above the level of the ground and provided with means to adapt them readily to conform generally to the contour thereof above the level of the ground and distributed at intervals over the surface of said pile, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other at points along said several lines to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

4. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a series of connected water pipe lines constituting a flexible unit and adapted to be connected to a suitable source of water supply, said pipe lines being adapted to lie upon the surface of the log pile above the level of the ground and consisting of sections flexibly connected to each other so as thus readily to conform to the logpile contour above the level of the ground. said pipe lines being distributed at intervals over the. surface of the pile, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and' adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other along said several lines to effect the coating or covering of the ex posed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

5. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a series of water pipe lines, all connected together and connected to a suitable source of water supply, said pipe lines having readily detachable portions permitting removal and access to desired parts of the log pile, said pipe lines being adapted to lie upon the surface of the log pile above the level of the ground and provided with means to adapt them readily to conform generally to the contour thereof and distributed at intervals over the surface of said pile above the level of the ground, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other along said several lines to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

6. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a main water pipe line adapted to be connected to a suitable source of water supply, said main pipe line having spaced lateral branches in communication therewith, and also subsidiary main pipe lines connected to said main pipe line, said subsidiary main lines also having spaced lateral branches, said several pipe lines and branches being distributed at intervals upon the surface of said pile above the level of the ground, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to d'scharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other along said several lines to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

7. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a main pipe line and spaced lateral branches, said main pipe line being adapted to lie along the top of the log pile above the level of the ground and the branches being adapted to extend downwardly at an inclination from the main line and having means to adapt them readily to conform generally to the contour of the pile, said pipe line and branches being distributed at intervals upon the surface of the pile above the level of the ground and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other along said lines to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

8. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a series of water pipe lines adapted to be connected to a suitable source of water supply, said pipe lines being adapted to lie upon the surface of the log piles above the level of the ground and provided with means to adapt them readily to conform generally to the contour thereof and distributed at intervals over the surface of said pile above the level of the ground, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other along said several pipes to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water and adapted to discharge a finely divided spray of substantially uniform homogeneity in cross section.

9. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log piles or like masses of irregular form comprising a main water pipe line adapted to be connected to a suitable source of high pressure water supply and supported by the conveyor by which the logs are accumulated upon the log pile, said pipe line having a series of lateral branches all constituting a flexible unit, the members of which are so connected to each other that they are adapted to lie upon the surface of the log pile above the level of the ground and to conform generally readily to the contour thereof, said branches being distributed at intervals over the surface of'said pile and a series of nozzles in communication with said main pipe line and its branches and adapted to discharge water in a foglike or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in suflicient proximity to each other to effect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log pile with a film or covering of water.

10. A system or apparatus for preventing fires in log-piles or like masses of irregular form, comprising a series of water pipe lines adapted to be connected to a suitable source of water supply, said pipe lines being adapted to lie upon the surface of the logpiles above the level of the ground and to conform generally to the contour thereof above the ground level, said pipe lines consisting of sections connected together flexibly by metallic joints so as thus to conform to the log-pile contour, said pipe lines being distributed over the surface of the pile, and a series of nozzles in communication with said pipe lines and adapted to discharge water in a fog-like or very finely comminuted condition, said nozzles being in sufficient proximity to each other at points along said several lines to efiect the coating or covering of the exposed surface of the log-pile with a film or covering of water.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BERTRAND R. T. ooLLINs. 

